Adjustable picture-frame



J, F. SMITH.

ADJUSTABLE PICTURE FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 1919.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920 2 SHEETS-SHEET h larva;

INVENTOR. C/Zmv EFANc/S SM! 7-H ATTORNEYS.

JOHN FRANCIS SMITH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFO RJDTIA.

. ADJUSTABLE PICTUREFRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 27, 1920,

Application filed May 22, 1919. Serial No. 298,920.

Picture-Frames, of which the following is a specification.

I My object is to make an adjustable picture frame, and my invention consists of the novel features herein shown, described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an adjustable picture frame embodying the principles of my invention with the picture in the frame ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the picture frame and canvas upon an enlarged scale and showing the process of assembling the frame and adjusting it to fit the canvas, the view being taken looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 2 in Fig. 3. r

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indi cated by the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a view analogous to Fig. 2 and showing the complete frame, parts being broken away and shown in section, andthe view being taken looking in the directio indicated by the arrow l in Fig. 5. 1

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5--5 of Fig. i and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of one of the corner finishing pi ces, the view being taken looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 6 in Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 is an edge view looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 7 in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary rear elevation of a complete corner using one of the corner finishing pieces shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and the view being taken upon the same plane as Fig. 4 and looking in the direction 1nd1- cated by the arrow 8 in Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional detail on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the canvas 1 containing the picture is fastened to a secondary frame 2, said secondary frame comprising side pieces 3 and L and end pieces 5 and 6 mitered together to form a rectangular support, and the canvas 1 is glued or otherwise fastened to the front face of the frame. The secondary frame pieces 3,

formed along their outer sides.

a, 5 and 6 are rectangular in cross section.

The adjustable frame is especially intended for use in studios for temporarily mounting a canvas containing a picture or painting for display. After the canvas has been prepared and applied to the s condary frame 2 the problem is to make a picture frame to fit the canvas in the secondary frame.

In constructing a frame to fit the canvas 1 and the secondary frame2 I take a corner frame piece 7 and place it in position at one corner of the secondary frame 2, then I apply frame blocks 8, 9 and 10 along the outer side of the side piece 3. The blocks 8, 9 and 10 are of considerable length and what I call standard full sized blocks, and after laying the piece 10 in place I find that there is not sufiicient room for another standard block so I apply the half sized block 1 and then the frame is not long enough. and so I apply a quarter sized block 12 and the filling piece 13. Then vI applya corner frame piece 14:; then I apply the frame blocks 15, 16, 17, 18 and the filling piece 19 against the piece 5; then I apply the frame corner piece 20 and the frame blocks 21, 22, 23, .2 25 and the filling piece 26; then I apply the corner frame piece 27 and the frame blocks 28, 29, 30,31 and the filling piece 32.

The frame block 8 is connected to the corner piece 7 by a dowel 33, and the blocks, the corner pieces, and the filler pieces are connected together end to end all the way around by similar dowels.

The corner frame piece 7 is a substantially square block, there being a notch 34; formed from one outer side and a bearing portion extending outwardly at one side of the notch. A cable 36 has a knot 37 formed in one end, and the cable is placed in position with the knot 37 in the notch 34, and the cable isfitted into a groove formed in the outer faces 38 and 39 and the cable is made long enough to extend around the frame.

The frame blocks have squared corner recesses 4C0 formed along their inner sides, and similar squared corner recesses 4.1 The secondary frame 2 fits in the recesses l0 all the way around and the cable 36 fits in the recesses 41 all the way around and the cable fits in the grooves in the outer faces of the corner frame pieces 14 20 and 27.

A tension rod 42 is inserted through the bearing portion of the corner frame piece 7, and a nut 43 is placed upon the tension rod 42. An eye 44 is formed in the opposite end of the tension rod from the nut and the cable 36 is passed entirely around the frame and passed through'the eye 44 and drawn taut and tied or fastened, and then the nut 43 is adjusted to place the desired tension upon the frame.

After the frame has been adjusted and built up, as shown in Fig. 2 and as above described, the corner finishing pieces 45, 46, 4'7 and 48 are applied as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The corner finishing pieces 45, 46, 47 and 48 are substantially alike and are adapted to cover the corner frame pieces 7, 14,20 and 27 and unite with the frame blocks to make a finished frame.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 the corner finishing pieces have faced portions 49 and 50 formed integral at right angles to each other and corner blocks forming right angled seats 51 and bolt holes 52. j

The corner finishing pieces are placed in position to cover the corner frame pieces 7 14, 20 and 27 and the finished faces 49 and 50 overlap the frame blocks. Bolt holes 53, 54, 55 and'56 are formed through the pieces 7, 14, 20 and 27, and bolts 57, 58, 59 and 60 are inserted through the holes 52 in the pieces 46, 45, 48 and 47 and through the holes 53, 54, 55 and 56, and Wing nuts 61 are applied to the bolt.

' The corner frame pieces 7, 14, 20 and 27 embossed to produce various designs, and in a like manner the corner finishing pieces 45, 46, 47 and 48 are covered With thin sheet metal pieces 64.

Thus I have produced a picture frame which may be readily adjusted to be enlarged or contracted to fit pictures of various sizes and shapes, and the picture frame consisting of interchangeable frame blocks of various sizes and adapted to be doWeled together, corner frame pieces fitting the blocks, a cable for tying the blocks together to form the frame, and corner finishing ieces adapted to be bolted to the corner frame pieces and cover the corner frame pieces, and joints between the frame blocks and the corner Jieces. v

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. An adjustable picture frame having side and end pieces, interchangeable corner blocks adapted to connect the side and end pieces together comprising a front member and a back member and a bolt and nut for holdin the front and back member to ether JOHN FRANCIS SMITH. 

